Naruto, My Hero
by nxlee
Summary: NaruSaku: For theirs was a tragic tale that fought to prove that love does conquer all. Rewritten


**DISCLAIMER: **Any real-life people, books or movies mentioned in this story are not mine. Neither does Naruto nor its characters belong to me. Though this story, along with its character development, plot and storyline are all rightfully mine- just a use of my imagination.

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**Gary Zukav: **Eventually you will come to understand that love heals everything, and love is all there is.

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**NARUTO, MY HERO**_  
I love thee, I love but thee; with a love that shall not die__  
Till the sun grows cold; and the stars grow old_  
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Lanterns shimmered, tinkling, glowing the hall back to life, as elegance sparkling up the atmosphere. Couples waltzed; light, colourful kimonos swirling with vibrancy, bodies graced about like nymphs parading a performance.

Wallflowers had shied to the edges of the building, merely conversing with familiar comrades, or friendly strangers. Others had taken in to the privilege to guzzle down barrels of their best sake.

Faces smiled to its content, laughter and happiness sweeping in the room like a sudden plague. No tension had hung like dead cat, for this was never more of a joyous occasion.

Never will they experience the celebration for the union of the genius Hyuuga and his newly wed lifelong partner, Tenten.

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_Let me be your hero._

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Naruto and Lee stood by the entrance of the place, maintaining a relaxed posture and upbeat aura. They had declined most of the petty invitations to drinking games, and they were still serving measly appetizers, hence, the two were occupying themselves with awaiting for a certain lady for a dance.

Evidently, most had cowered and cooed over to the ever impassive Uchiha, who scowled and with his brow furrowed, shooed them away. Alas, they kept coming again, expanding in numbers.

Naruto was indifferent to Sasuke's strikingly good looks, which was the main benefit to these girls. He had always put up with these shameless flirts, whilst he had merely snorted and wished they had paid someattention to him. But he was no longer twelve, and had a much more mature mind to things.

No, because watching Sasuke trying to swat them away- and failing(which was such an unUchiha thing to do)- was amusing to watch.

"Alas, Sasuke-san has taken most of the women tonight," Lee stated obviously, sighing as their screeching could be heard from their side of the room. "It doesn't give us gentlemen a chance to show off our ever blooming youth!"

The blond chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Whatever, fuzzy brows," he grinned, "but I'm sure they'll soon get over the bastard's non-existing charms, and come swarming to us."

"I appraise your optimism, Naruto-kun," he grinned, and his pearled teeth went Ping! as he did. "But we shouldn't fret, Sasuke-san's youth must merely be more in blooming than ours."

"You'd think?"

"Ah, but I am really waiting for the prescence of dazzling Sakura-chan!" Lee chirped, ready to pour out his feelings about the pink-haired woman- when said person had entered the room with her friend, Yamanka Ino.

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_Would you dance if I asked you to dance?  
Would you run and never look back_

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"Care for a dance, oh enchantress?" he joked, slipping her hands with his. They match, perfect in shape, he mused in his thoughts, even more when together.

"Fine," she snapped playfully, poking her tongue out. "I shall accept a dance from you, oh handsome rouge."

He feigned suprised. "Course, because you couldn't possibly, resist my charms," he smirked.

"Baka," she remarked softly, and with a smile that was reaching to ear to ear- made Naruto feel like the twelve-year-old, lovesick boy he was once was.

Pulling her to the dance floor, Naruto stumbled and tried leading, but inevitably- Sakura had to take things in her own hands.

"You alright?" he asked concernedly, noticing that often, her eyes had drifted over to the Uchiha.

"Yeah, I guess so, whatever," she replied offhandedly. "But I guess, he's still the same prick with a pole jammed up his ass that we remembered. I'm... I'm just getting over him, you know? Besides," she nodded her heads to the swarm that were practically leeched onto Sasuke, ready to rip off his yukata. "I can't surely, compete against those beauties."

"Yeah, but you're beautiful to me, Sakura-chan," he stated bluntly.

There was a hint of natural blush to her cheeks. "I know," she answered, then mouthed something else to Ino who was nearby, and dragging Shikamaru everywhere.

"Hey, you know, if this makes you feel any prettier," after a while, "I feel a dark prescence in the force. He is wanting to chop me into little bits, and fry me up with some tomatoes- and ravish you like there's no tomorrow."

"Naruto-kun, shut up." she laughed, "we know Sasuke well enough, and frankly, that man has no hormones, or a heart. He just runs on his hissy meter."

He couldn't help but laugh back. "Took you long enough to see my perception on him," he mocked, and felt her fist slamming against his arm, at a gentle impact.

_Well thank God it isn't her real strength. Hell, she promotes the 'nothing is worse than an angered woman' theory._

"I'm going to ask Hinata for a dance," he said, eyeing the poor girl who had several men ready to pounce on her, if it weren't for Neji's intimidating aura protecting her. "She looks like she's itching to dance."

"Okay, go for it, you baka," she said, pushing him to her direction. Soon, she regreted letting him go when Sasuke came sauntering to her.

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_Would you cry if you saw me crying  
Would you save my soul tonight?_

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Brilliantly blue chakra leaked from his arm, like water, crackling an eerie bird call. Sharingan flashed blood red, the tomoe swirling maniacally, contrasting to his Chidori, that was dangerously growing larger by the second.

**Chi! Chi! Chi! Chi!**

"Sasuke," Naruto seethed. "What the hell is wrong with-"

He had never got to finish, as Sasuke leaped at him, the Chidori directly aimed for his chest. He knew that Sasuke's speed was honed superior than his, and it was redundant to try dodging it, for the Sharingan could detect the new of his future movements. All seemed hopeless.

Suddenly, Naruto was shoved aside, and a giant slab of Earth had erected from the ground. Instead of him, the Chidori had collided with it instead, smashing the rock to bits.

"You have to stop this!" she screamed frantically, panting as she averted from Naruto to Sasuke, and back again. "Just stop it!"

"But Sakura-chan, he started it!" Naruto accused, jabbing fingers at the Uchiha as he came forward of Sakura, the trademark stance of defence.

Sighing, Sasuke grunted carelessly. "So typical of you, dobe."

"Naruto, we're not twelve years old anymore. This isn't old Team seven. You have to stop playing hero for once," she retorted, then narrowed her eyes at their other member, "and let Sasuke know that I'm not the ideal weak little girl he has implanted in his head."

"Hn."

"Well, isn't that so typical of you, Sasuke-kun," she spat, adding the suffix with a malicious swirl of spite. "Don't think you can just waltz back here, and have me swooning at your feet. I'm not that girl anymore."

"That wasn't what I had remembered," he added, flatly, but she knew that, he was mocking her. "Don't you, Sakura?"

"Prick," she hissed, hands curled into fists.

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_"I.. I love you so much!"_

_"..."_

_"Please Sasuke-kun," hands were clutching her dress, where her heart is positioned. "If you stay, I'll make sure you won't regret it!"_

_Onyx widened, but stayed impassive._

_"Everyday will be hap, a day further to reaching our dreams!" she was babbling now. "If you can't... stay, then take me with you! I promise I wouldn't be such a burden, and I'll help you with your revenge!"_

_"You really are annoying."_

_"I always have been, haven't I?"_

_"Hn."_

_Footsteps carried to him to the gate now. He could hear hers chasing him, as they have always been._

_"Please, don't leave! I'll..." she was desperate now. "Or I'll scream!"_

_A blur, and then Sasuke was behind her. Hands ached to slide down the contours of her shoulders, her arms, her face, but they remained aligned with him. His breath was on her neck, lips so close to her right ear._

_"Thank you."_

_"Sa... Sasuke-kun?"_

_A knock to her neck, pressure point hit, and Sakura was unconscious in his arms._

_"For everything."_

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_Would you tremble if I touched your lips?  
Would you laugh oh please tell me these_

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A long afternoon was nearing to its end, and the remains of Team 7 were ready to ship themselves off home. Sasuke had been long gone, preparing him for many of his lone missions, and left was Sakura and her ramen-loving companion.

"Should we look for Kakashi-sensei?" she asked, "I know the man had a knack of tardiness, but he wouldn't want to stay here all day will he?"

"Eh, we could- but it'd be useless," Naruto shrugged, going on matter-of-factly. "You know he's probbably hiding up there, with his Icha Icha collection."

"Well sad, isn't it?" she yelled loudly, "I heard from the hospital, Rin, his old teammate, said he was quite the stud back in his day."

"Maybe he's got what Sasuke-teme got," Naruto sniggered. "No manliness. And besides, who know when was his days, like a century ago-!"

A fist had landed perfectly against his cheekbone,

"I take offence to that comment, Naruto-kun," Kakashi said, feigning hurt as he casually fought an enraged Naruto off with only an arm, the other holding his book. "Taking a strike at my masculinity is a sure sign of stupidity."

Sakura let out a giggle. "Don't worry about him, Kakashi-sensei. C'mon, let's spar, Naruto."

"Spar, as in 'for real' spar," she grasped his attention, then biting his lip, "or 'I am woman, hear me roar and beat you to a pulp' spar?"

"Idiot, it's the same thing?" she grinned, already shoving her hands into her 'kick ass' gloves.

Instantly, they had engaged in a playful manner of combat. No weapons were allowed, only taijutsu, and by far, Sakura seemed to be a mile ahead. But it was Naruto with moreover the endurance, and he popped away into the trees.

"Baka, I know you're hiding, you coward!" she teased, quickly trying to pinpoint his location. "Come out wherever you are, don't make me come to you! NARUTO!"

Then he was launched in mid-air, and clung to her, undetected, from behind.

"Naruto!"

Arms were constricting against her small frame, and her hands were paralyzed to being at her sides. Then smoke puffed from nothing, and more of Naruto were hovering around her.

Then fingers came crawling across her belly, itching and tickling her from every angle possible.

"Stop it! No fair, you can't use shadow clones! Cheater!" she laughed hysterically, now on the verge of tears. "No Naruto, stop! Stop it," she giggled, ecstatic when Naruto had suddenly lose his guard (the aroma of takeaway ramen was detected as a civilian was passing by the outskirts).

Taking this to advantage, Sakura rid herself of the clones, crushing herself onto an oblivious Naruto and was straddling on top of him.

"You know, a man can have a lot of thoughts if he were in his disposition," he drawled, waggling his eyebrows, earning himself a bonk on the head. Or so he predicted.

Surprisingly enough, she didn't. "Really now?" she smirked, slowly and teasingly lowered her body, heaving herself upwards, until she was face to face with Naruto. Inside, she was startled at the sublte changes in him. His whisker marks were fainter, blond hair more longer, and the face of the boy she once detested, and changed into a man.

"Naruto."

Naruto lifted his head, and lips met.

She didn't know how to react properly, and was backing away from him, doe-eyed and scared.

"You know, you could kiss me back," he whispered onto her earlobe. She smiled, roughly biting onto his upper lip, and more kissing ensured.

He slanted his mouth over hers, and grabbed the back of her head, pushing it down, deepening the kiss.

Rolling her over, he changed their position, and he was the dominating one. Sakura's arms reached out, to hold onto his head, running through his hair. He hastily pulled off his jacket, and then off went the shirt.

His heart was beating erratically to hear anything else, and he could feel hers beat the same tempo. Naruto felt her underneath him, hands were caressing her hair, her face, then shoulders... trailing down to her pelvis.

Sakura allowed him to unzipped her shirt. Hands to slithered up her torso, unhooking the clasp of her bra, and then he cupped her left breast. She dragged him back down, and she could tell that he loved the feel of her round breast pressing against his chest.

He sent a trail of kisses down her collarbone, downards... until a hand was squeezing her left breast, and his lips were sucking on the hardened peak of the other.

She squirmed underneath his sensual grasp, wrapping her legs around his waist, as their bodies grinding harder into each other.

Satisfied by the moan she let out, he continued to suck onto her, then his mouth was going lower... lower...

"Naruto-kun!"

She could feel his arms tremble, but it felt so good to be held other than Ino. To be kissed and held by a man who selflessly loved her since their younger days. She smothered more kisses all over his face, feeling the building up of tears, as he hugged her tighter. Nothing ever felt as good as this.

Years of loniless, of betrayal, or heartache, of rejection, of losing hope- they were swirling into one, and melting away like ice cream on a sweltering hot day. Naruto didn't remember the times Sakura had recklessly dumped him over his rival, nor her when Sasuke had constantly pulled her down, deeper to the depths of despair and unrequited love.

All that was left, was a boy and girl, who found love at second sight.

Sasuke watched, and left. Normally, he was a man of high tolerance (after all, he lived through the annoyance of his once preteen teammates) but watching Sakura in the arms of another man, in Naruto's arms, rendered him confused and irritated. For reasons he was not completely aware of.

But he knew, the sight of his comrades kissing was beyond belief...

**Hands trailing down to her stomach... mouth slobbering down her neck... crawling underneath her shirt... hand cupping her breast... moaning... lips meeting... Na... Naruto-kun! No more Sasuke-kun... no Sasuke... just Naruto... Naruto and Sakura... Sakura and Naruto...**

Something in him cracked.

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_Now would you die for the one you love?  
Hold me in your arms tonight?_

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Glassed lens reflected sunlight, but there was something less bright, more sadistic, more sinister behind those dark eyes.

_Orochimaru-sama says you can always come back. He's says your body is still in good use for him._

_Hn. You know what I'm here for._

_So you want me to kill that Kyuubi brat for you. For what, Sasuke-kun?_

_Couldn't you kill him yourself? _the other self sneered.

_I have other things to accomplish._

_Ah, yes. The annhilation of your dear brother. But I can help you there, Sasuke. I still have many wonders that you can learn._

_Hn, that's what you promised me years ago._

_And you believed, dear Sasuke._ A long, deformed tongue slithered out, licking the contour of his neck. Sasuke was motionless, he had been used to Orochimaru gestures years ago.

_Still as delicious as ever, Sasuke-kun. But still, what hinders you from killing that Uzumaki boy? Do you still... have bonds with him?_

_I told you, I severed all bonds when we last met._

_Yes, I recall. But that doesn't explain why you killed my current vessel and fled to Konoha._

_Orochimaru-sama, perhaps it is his other teammates._

_Ah, Haruno Sakura. The little blossom of Team seven. It's the girl isn't it, Sasuke-kun? You've fallen in love with her, haven't you?_

_It is a laughable matter, is it not Orochimaru-sama?_

There was a cruel echo of laughter, from both inner beings of Kabuto. Sasuke took heed to depart, conflicting thoughts raging in his head.

**You've fallen in love with her, haven't you?**

_"Thank you."_

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_I can be you hero baby  
I can kiss away the pain_

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She stood by the gate, feeling deja vu as the sun was dipping lower into the horizon.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto called, and she was swallowed into his embrace. "He's left. You have to accept that fact. We have to accept it as the truth."

"I know," she whimpered, "But how could he... we let him back in, and even helped in getting information about the Akatsuki and his godforsaken brother! And he goes ditches us for that snake pedophile."

"Sasuke can have his idiot moments," Naruto tried joking, but it didn't help unease Sakura's discomfort. "Don't worry, we will get him back. Remember, its part of my promise for a lifetime!"

_Don't ya worry, Sakura-chan! It's my promise of a lifetime!_

She relaxed. "I know," she said, "but I feel like no matter what we've been through, Sasuke will always go back to the brooding, egocentric little shithead he was back then."

"Yeah, it's an Uchiha thing," he shrugged lightly, and she let out a laugh.

**I**_ love the way she laughs. Someday, I'm going to get Sakura-chan to notice me!_

"But I guess I liked Sasuke before he was obviously, the most good looking and popular boy in our class," she murmured, amused at the reminisce of her childhood. "But it was because he was so unattainable, and most wanted. I wanted to prove, that I wouldn't be tagged along with Ino for the rest of my life, that I was worth something."

"Sakura," he called softly, lowering his lips to her shoulder.

"But I guess it's always been just a silly crush. A fool's sentence to unrequited love."

_Naruto, you baka! How DARE YOU HURT MY SASUKE-KUN!_

"But, even though he's my first love, you," she turned around, and stared up at him. Blue meet green, and it was the most memorizing gaze he recieved from her. "But Naruto-kun, it's so different between us. I mean, whenever I'm with you.. I..."

**Naruto-kun. Naruto-kun. Naruto-kun. Naruto-kun...**

"Shit," he muttered, looking away as she glanced at him curiously. "I can't concentrate... not when, you... you stare at me like that, with those eyes, and hair, everything... You're beautiful, Sakura."

"I... I..." she stammered, feeling as if a lump was lodged deep in her oesophagus, but then she found her courage to speak. "You make me feel loved, so alive, Naruto, more than anyone else has, for a long time."

"Sakura..."

"And I just wanted to say that though I'm with you, there will always a small place for Sasuke-'

He didn't need, didn't want to hear his name at a time like this. "Sakura," he placed a finger on her lips, silencing her. "I wanted you to know that, since the day I fell for you, and especially the day you loved me back, no one else but has ever made me feel so real, so human."

"-... in my heart," she whispered in her mind a thousand times. Unfortunately, Naruto had heard.

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_I will stand by you forever  
You can take my breath away_

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_You make me feel so loved._

Naruto felt wings attached to him, ready to soar off into the higher skies.

_You make me feel alive._

He was europhoric, he like all his dreams were smushed together.

_But there's always going to be a place-_

He stopped dead in his tracks, and suddenly everything went dark.

_- for Sasuke in my heart._

A cage surrounded him, closing in on him, trapping him as he saw his beloved Sakura.

**SAKURA-CHAN! SAKURA!**

_You make me feel so loved_

Then Sakura was in the arms of Sasuke, and they were kissing. Her back arched against the wall, he touched her, here and there, his lips feverishly ravishing on hers****

Sa... Sasuke-kun! 

_You make me feel alive._

A growl erupted from him**. Slut!****  
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_But there's always going to be a place-_

**Stop it! **The cage rattled, claws wrapped around the bars.** STOP IT!****  
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_- for Sasuke in my heart_

_You make me human._**  
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**Shut up, **Naruto thundered, with every fibre in his being bursting with anger,** SHUT UP!**

****_You make me feel alive._****

Sakura-chan, you should know I cherish every moment with you. 

_You make me human_.

**I need you.**

_You make me feel alive._

**Sakura, I love you.**

_But there's always_

**I love you.  
**_  
going to be a place-_

**I love you.  
**_  
-for Sasuke in my heart..._**  
****_  
Sasuke-kun!_**

**_Sasuke-kun!_**

**_Sasuke-kun!_**

**_Sasuke-kun!_**

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_Would you swear that you'll always be mine?  
Would you lie? Would you run away?_

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"Dobe," a voice uttered, pulling the katana from its sheath. "We hadn't finished our last duel."

Fangs bared in a smirk, blue irises dissolving into crismon red. "So we hadn't."

**Sweet sweet Sakura-chan, I can love you more than that bastard ever will...**

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_Am I in to deep? Have I lost my mind?  
I don't care you're here tonight_

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"Naruto!" she screeched; watching, in horror, as the giant cobra hissed viciously at him, and he, now in the Kyuubi's fourth tail stage, was growling back.

"Get away, Sakura!" he boomed, a feral snarl as he crouched lower to the ground, then he jumped, biting onto the snake's neck. It hissed relentlessly, violently shaking its head until Naruto was shaken off, shoved aside by its tail.

There was blood, mixed with red chakra, bubbling out from his wound. Medic instincts hit her, and carelessly, she rushed over to him.

"Naruto, you're hurt!" Sakura exclaimed, panicked; trying to hold him down while suppressing her chakra against the mark, frustrated. "Don't be so stubborn, let me heal you! It's futile to go in this condition against Sasuke-"

"I said get away!" and with his paw, he slapped her, sending her body to crash and become thrashed against a nearby tree trunk.

"Na..." she winced, barely able to say his name, "Na... y-y... you..."

"Hn," Sasuke grimaced, glancing at the stumbling Sakura, "the dobe I knew would never throw away his Sakura-chan," he stated darkly, "just like that."

His hair was on ends, the bubbly dome surrounding him fizzling larger in diameter. "Shut up, Uchiha! What the fuck do you know?!"

"Naruto-kun... Naruto... what's happening to you?" Sakura simpered, frightened at this being. It reminded her of his battle against Orochimaru, and how he had hurt her. Which shattered him when Naruto, fully conscious, had discovered the terrible truth.

_I will never let anyone hurt you, Sakura-chan. Not as long as I'm alive!_

"Admit it Sasuke!" the Kyuubi-Naruto hybrid chortled loudly, "that now, the tables have been turned. Destinies changed. It's you that desires Sakura, when all she wants is me."

Sasuke subtly flinched, his whole being becoming rigid. His jaw was clenched, and hands were still wrapped around the katana.

"Hn."

"Denying isn't going to erase the fact, that I am the one," he let out a riotously laugh. "The one that Sakura-chan loves. There's no more Sasuke-kun, just Naruto-kun, Naruto... I'm the one she wants. The one that's been wanting to be with her. The one that loves her."

"Naruto, why are you manipulating my words to-"

"Che, who said I was denying it?" he uttered in a barely audible voice.

Sakura cringed, avoiding Sasuke's calm stance and serious face. "Eh?! Sasuke-kun..."

"What did you call him?!" Naruto let his anger ripped out to its extent, and thundered wildly. "What did you," he enunicated every word, "call him?"

"Na-!"

He had changed prey, and was crushing the helpless Sakura against the tree trunk. The spilling chakra was thawing against her, and she struggled against his monstrous grip.

"Nar-ut... o..."

Strangly enough, Naruto's chakra wasn't frying her to a crisp. Instead, it was lessening, but the murderous intent remained. Tears were now leaking from his eyes, and Sakura saw, a lone eye that was slowly changing back to its original blue hue, but there was still hints of red.

"Sakura," he choked, "You... make..."

She was cupping her face, even though his disclosed chakra was slightly burning her. "Naruto-kun," she whispered agitatedly.

"Naruto," Sakura shook her head wistfully, sobbing repeatedly as she brought their faces together. "Naruto, I... I... know you're still there somewhere... Naruto if you could hear me, you..."

"... me... human," he finally let out, collasping to the ground. Sakura immediately squatted beside him, stroking his head, cooing gently like mother to child, trying to soothe and calm the beast in the boy, who was now suffering from what seemed to be a minor seizure.

"Manda," Sasuke commanded; emotionless, black eyes narrowing at his two teammates. "Let us leave."

"Hai, masssssssster..." it slinked away from the scene.

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_I can be you hero baby  
I can kiss away the pain_

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It was an another unpredicted attack. Giant snakes wriggled into the forests of Konoha, Orochimaru-Kabuto evidently leading their Otokagure troops to invasion. Soldiers raided the villagers, whilst their leader easily fought off Konoha's top ninjas.

"Guess what?" he chirped, flailing his arms in a cheerful manner; as Naruto was on top of Gamabunta, whereas Sakura was with Katsuyu. "It's the end of line for you, Kyuubi-brat."

"Afraid not, snake man," he defied arrogantly. Then he jabbed his thumb to his chest, "because I will be the next and greatest Hokage ever!"

"Che, then Konoha will surely fall to ruin, not that it won't after I'm done with it."

Naruto was flabbergasted, and utterly irked off. "Orochimaru, Kabuto, whoever the hell you are- you... you bastard!"

"Pfft," Kabuto scoffed, "you truly are a walking contradiction, and a nuisance! Just like Sasuke!"

"Shut up, you weirdo! Gamabunta, charge!"

"Yes, Sasuke-kun. All he really is now- is a stupid boy, like his brother had always said," Orochimaru-Kabuto taunted snidely, flicking the giant toad off, "a spoiled little brat, who his brother merely wanted him to grow up. And what did he do? Make friends with a cursed child, and fall for a stupid, spineless and pretty face."

"Liar!" Naruto roared, nagging Gambunta to advanced. It leaped, just as the snake lunged forward, sinking his teeth into-

"Sasuke! Teme! The hell are you doing here?" he croaked disbelievingly, as the snake abruptly recoiled, from having its face flamed from Sasuke's Katon.

Sasuke let out a sign, shaking his head til he unsheathed his blade. "Hn, what else, dobe?"

"Itachi may be right, and I'm just his foolish little brother," he continued icily, talking more than he had for most of his lifetime, then his gaze hardened, and electricity and flares were unleashed onto his chokutō, "but I will not let my important people die!"

"Nice speech, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru-Kabuto commented cynically, clapping for him. "But it maybe what will bring you to your demise."

"Hn, then you are but a walking contradiction yourself," Sasuke smirked, quickly glancing at Naruto, as if their eye contact witheld an unseen conversation of a strategy.

"Very well, Kusanagi!"

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_I will stand by you forever  
You can take my breath away_

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Gamabunta had left awhile ago with Sakura and Katsuyu, and now it was two-on-two (considering that Kabuto-Orochimaru were technically two different persons) battle. Sasuke and Naruto were like mere flies to them, always buzzing and darting around them, swotted away but they always came back.

"So how does it feel, Sasuke-kun?" Kabuto-Orochimaru jeered in mid-fight, dodging the more implused strikes from the Uchiha. "To be only second to Sakura-chan's heart?"

"Hn."

"That has nothing to do with you, you old fart," Naruto cut in, angrily. "This is about you being a stupid old pedophile after teme, and-"

"I've no need for pests like you, be gone!" Kabuto-Orchimaru hissed, slamming a fist against his cheek. Naruto flew back, but launched himself back at him, an extra flaming tail to his backside.

"Still relying on that demon's power, boy?" he jabbed. "But how about we make you lose," he averted his glance to the pink-haired woman healing nins in the forest, "your biggest source of power. Say, the heart?'

It didn't instantly click to him. Then, when it did. "No, not Sakura, you bastard!" he screamed, selflessly lunging himself downwards, wildly screaming her name.

"End of the girl's life, Kyuubi brat!" Kabuto-Orochimaru thundered evilly. With the flick of his wrist, a large cobra regurgitated from his mouth, speeding down to the oblivious Sakura.

"SAKURA!"

She looked up, panic-stricken; as she gapped at the cobra's mouth widening, aiming straight for her...

**BAM!  
**  
The hit had flung the reptile aside, rendered dead as it skidded through most of the western side of the forest. 

She shifted her gaze, and saw a figure staggering. There was four tails, but there was dissolving rather quickly, eyes trembled back to its original blue colour, and the overall warm cover rapidly changing back. But when the orange glow was fading, the wounds were more evident.

"Sakura-chan..." he murmured, groaning as he helplessly tried crawling to her. But exhaustion took over, and he fell to the ground.

"Naruto! Naruto, what... w-what happened to you?!" she screeched, wretchedly pressing chakra against his bruised, limp body.

"Sakura," he coughed, cupping a side of her face, boring his eyes with hers. "I know... that I say that... I'll never... g-give up. But I... I had too... for this one time..."

She simpered, biting her lip before crashing her mouth to his. "Naruto," lips whispered into his, asking- pleading desperately, "don't say such things, I don't want you taking away your life for me!"

"Sakura-chan..." he murmured, gasping in his last intakes of life, "don't... you know... you are my... life..." before he could breathe no more.

Sakura was in full, uncontrollable hysterics; as she sobbed into his chest. "NARUTO!"

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I just want to hold you_**-**

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Chidori fought against Kabuto and Orochimaru's strength combined. But he was doing fairly well, (considering he was a prodigy and all).

Meanwhile, the other Sound nins were ripping Konoha apart. Bodies were churned, left to rot after being killed mercilessly, women raped, butchered and children were slaughtered without a second glance. Buildings were burnt, destroyed to oblivion, until it was gradually being mutated into a barren wasteland.

No life was spared.

Sakura was racing through the bloodied streets, hastily healing any those who still had remnants of life, transporting back and forth from areas to the nearest medicinal centre.

A blur appeared in front of her. A lone golden eye stared at green. A smile crept to his lips, the sword swung carelessly around his finger. Sakura glared murderously at him. For the loss of Sasuke, the death of Naruto, the destruction of her home, of everyone she loved.

She had every right in her being to be outright infuriated with the figure in front of her.

But soon, anger was soon being possessed by fear. She treaded backwards, fatigue obviously weighing her down. She barely had any reserved chakra left, stubbornly determined to help others before even thinking of her own health welfare.

"Would you like to join your precious Kyuubi lover, sweetheart?" Orochimaru-Kabuto mocked, the infamous tongue caressing the cheek of a frightened Sakura.

Sasuke turned, panicked and pissed. "No, not her, not- SAKURA!"

He charged to the snake-human hybrid, swinging his palm right through him. Just as his Chidori was plunged through the chest, incinerating Kabuto-Orochimaru's internal organs- their katana had transformed into a serpernt, its sharpened fangs pierced into her heart.

Onyx widened, "Sakura."

"Sa.. suke... kun.."

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I just want to hold you_**-**

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"Sasuke!"

Sasuke gave Kakashi no time to finish, and gave Naruto's body to them. It was slung over his shoulder, as they raced through the foliage of leaves, whimsically leaping branch to branch- trying to sped to Konoha as possibily fast as they could.

Her eyes were fixated to the air, staring forward, and nowhere else.

"No Sakura, wake up," he exclaimed, distressed. "Sakura. Wake. Sakura. Stay alive for me, please. Sakura-"

"It's too late for her," Kakashi concluded, as they were nearing to the Konoha Med Centre. "She, and Naruto, they've been dead long ago."

"Come, we will inform the Hokage," Kakashi suggested, pancing forward, but Sasuke merely lagged behind

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_Am I in too deep? Have I lost my mind?__  
Well I don't care you're here tonight_-

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With the corpse still in his arms, Sasuke cried, knowing that whatever he'd tried, it wouldn't, couldn't bring her- them back.

Since the massacre of his family, he had always been seeking another, and now he felt like he had lost the other only family he ever had.

The boy whom he looked to as rival, a friend, a companion for life. And the girl who merely took his heart away.

Uchiha Sasuke foretold himself, that he was one always destined to walk alone.

And it seem like destiny was unfolding itself to be true.

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_I can be you hero baby  
I can kiss away the pain_

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_Like the scenery of many fairytales, the perfect, cloudless, luscious green grass, animals scampering about place that humans had only dreamed about. They were in it, skipping and dancing merrily with souls whom they hadn't seen in a long time._

_She bumped against a tree. Its branches shook and it rained cherry blossom petals, fluttering, falling onto her hair, her face._

_"Sakura," he chuckled, gently lifting the pink off the tip of her nose. "You had one there."_

_She giggled, stroking the feather of a perched canary. "Isn't this place just wonderful, Naruto-kun!"_

_"It's paradise," he murmured, stealing a glance to the ethereal Sakura squealing with glee._

_"Yes, but if only Sasuke would've been able to be here with us," she sighed regretfully, peering over to the Uchiha below, who was placing flowers at their tombstones. "He has been awfully lonely for most of his life. And then we ditched him. It isn't fair, Naruto!"_

_"We shouldn't worry," Naruto reassured, entwining her hands with his, "because we'll be smiling for him, up here in heaven."_

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_I will stand by you forever__  
You can take my breath away_-

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Naruto never got to fulfill the promises of being Hokage.

But he had found something else in return.

For theirs was a story, out there, hidden beneath the happy smiles of Konoha.

Showing that some loves will end in tragic happenings.

But like the saying goes, love will conquer all.

And theirs proved it.

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_I can be your hero..._

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**Authors Note:** Eh, I reread this oneshot one day, and was appalled at how shockingly different I write, compared to when this was published. Yes, I racked off angel-puppeteer's infamous story layout, I don't take credit. I thought it looked cooler. Kill me then.

Yes, it is more detailed, and events have been added, and NaruSaku get a kinky moment. Let's say, I have grown into a semi-closet pervert during these few years... Credits to the song. It's Enrique Iglesias: Hero. Hope you like, and thank you to everyone who loved this story before!


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